Spring TV Roundup, Week 9

We're almost to May, and the broadcast season is coming to an end. But new shows of Spring continue to bloom. In these weekly posts I look at the new scripted series of Spring, reviewing the pilot and second episode. Don't see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks.

Tuesday Nights:
Containment, Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on the CW (Premiered April 19)
About: This is the latest new show for the CW, and it's late April premier and the fact everything else has been renewed on the CW isn't a hopeful sign. That being said, you never know about the CW. The series is being billed as a limited series event, but again if the ratings are good it will come back. The series is about a virus outbreak in Atlanta that threatens the city and, potentially, the world. But think "Contagion" here, not "The Walking Dead." This isn't the zombie apocalypse, just the apocalypse... maybe. I liked the pilot and I like the concept. The characters and acting wasn't particularly dynamic, but that could be a matter of time. The story is intriguing and I see possibility with this. But we'll see where it goes in hour two.
Pilot Grade: B-

Wednesday Nights:
The Last Panthers, Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on Sundance Channel (Premiered April 13)
About: This is the latest series on Sundance, and some have compared it to "The Wire." To me, it's no where near that compelling or rich. It is a story loosely based on true life events about some thieves who heist some diamonds, the cops trying to clean up France, and the insurance investigator trying to get the merchandise back. There's some depth and character here, and the second episode did a better job of fleshing out the world, to me, but this is still a bit of a bore. A great deal of it is subtitled, too, which can be a deal-breaker for some. But I wasn't drawn into the stories and character enough to find this compelling.
Pilot Grade: C-
Second Episode: C